1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to air an conditioning apparatus. In particular, the invention relates to an air conditioning apparatus including a rotatable air grille for an exhaust opening for horizontally or downwardly defecting the air discharged from the exhaust opening. The invention also relates to a method for controlling the rotating position of the air grille of the apparatus with the progress of the heating operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heat-pump type air conditioners are well known, as a heating and cooling apparatus. Generally, the air conditioners of this type are mounted on a wall in the vicinity of the ceiling. In the air conditioners of this type, since the initial temperature of the room in which the air conditioner is installed is low when heating, the specific gravity of the warm air fed from the air conditioner is lower than that of the air in the room. For this reason, the warm air discharged from the air conditioner moves upward, and the temperature rise in the vicinity of the floor takes a great deal of time.
To solve the problem described above, in the conventional air conditioners, the deflection angle of a rotatable air grille is automatically controlled to an optimum position by a motor in accordance with the temperature change in the room or the elapsed time from the starting of operation of the air conditioner.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show one example of the above-described prior art.
A plurality of air intake openings 25 is formed in a front panel 26 of an interior unit 27. An interior heat exchange unit 29 is disposed close to the backside of front panel 26. An air filter 30 is provided on the backside of front panel 26. A drain pan 31 for receiving condensation from heat-exchange unit 29 is provided under heat-exchange unit 29. An exhausting port 83 is provided at the front lower side of interior unit 27. Exhausting port 33 extends over the bottom side of unit 27, as shown in FIG. 1. An air path 35 extending from heat-exchange unit 29 to exhausting port 38 is defined in interior unit 27 by a heat insulation material 37. A fan device 39 and a plurality of rotatable horizontal air flow grilles 41 are provided, in order, from heat-exchange unit 29 toward exhausting port 33 in air path 35. Horizontal air flow grilles 41 are manually operated by a user for controlling the flow of the air discharged from exhausting port 33 in the left and right direction. A rotatable vertical air flow grille 43 is provided on the front side of exhausting port 33. A rotation shaft 45 of vertical air flow grille 43 is connected to a motor (not shown) to automatically rotate vertical air flow grille 43. Therefore, the air discharged from exhausting port 33 is controlled in the vertical direction by vertical air flow grille 43.
The operation of vertical air flow grille 43 of the above-described prior art will be described hereafter. As shown in FIG. 1, vertical air flow grille 43 is perpendicularly disposed in the exhausting port 33 at the start of the heating operation of the apparatus. The air from exhausting port 33 is forcibly exhausted downward to warm the defined space wherein the air conditioning apparatus is installed.
When the heating operation of the apparatus shifts from the above-described initial operation mode to a regular operation mode, vertical air flow grille 43 is automatically rotated by a prescribed angle, as shown in FIG. 2. The air from exhausting port 33 is discharged diagonally-downward, and is spread in the room to warm the entire area of the room.
In this prior art, when the air is discharged diagonally-downward, it may warm the entire room. However, the user may be directly exposed to the diagonally discharged air, causing unpleasant feeling.